UPDATE: Mental health helpline available to Lexington residents

By Diane McLaughlinlexington@wickedlocal.com

Tuesday

Dec 4, 2018 at 1:49 PMDec 12, 2018 at 12:51 PM

Lexington residents needing mental health services have a new resource available when seeking help.

The town of Lexington has joined William James INTERFACE Referral Services, a helpline staffed by counselors who will locate suitable mental health providers for residents. Town officials say the service will help remove barriers for people looking to address mental health needs.

Town initiative

Joining William James INTERFACE is one step in a multi-year initiative to evaluate and improve mental health services in Lexington.

The initiative was prompted by the suicides of two Lexington High School students in 2017. The School Committee asked whether municipal and school staff could collaborate to improve the town’s mental health services. A series of public meetings was held in 2017 and 2018 to better understand the role of the town and schools in providing services. The Board of Selectmen, the School Committee and municipal and school staff participated in the meetings.

The need for mental health services is an issue across the U.S. Last spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report showing increased suicide rates in the United States between 1999 and 2016. The Massachusetts rate increased by 35.3 percent. In November, the CDC reported a decline in U.S. life expectancy, due in part to the number of suicides in this country.

The helpline

The town joined William James INTERFACE for two years for a total cost of $25,000. The municipal and school departments will pay for the service. William James also maintains a webpage for the town with links to local resources.

The initiative is being led by Melissa Interess, acting director of human services, and Val Viscosi, director of counseling for the public schools. Interess told the Lexington Minuteman that INFTERFACE has received support from the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the town manager and the superintendent of schools.

“The support that we have from the very top is really important,” Interess said. “This is a priority in response – not only in response but also proactively speaking – to really address the needs of the community.”

While Lexington’s initiative grew out of youth suicides, the town’s mental services have a “lifespan focus,” Viscosi said. During the meetings exploring mental health services, Viscosi said, they learned that accessing mental health services was a barrier for many residents who needed help.

The helpline is staffed by doctoral students from William James College, with faculty supervision. Translators are available. All Lexington students, regardless of where they live, have access to the service, Interess said.

When residents call the helpline (888-244-6843), a counselor will assess the caller’s situation and then search for a provider who best matches the needs. So if an individual wants to meet with a provider who has experience with the LGBTQ community or understands cultural sensitivities, the counselors will identify the best match for that need.

“The client won’t be faced with getting three doors closed,” Interess said. “The counselors are trying to get to ‘yes’ before getting back to the client.”

About two weeks after making a referral, the counselor will call the resident to make check sure the match was successful. There are no limits to how often residents can use the referral service.

Some Lexington area mental health providers may not be listed in the INTERFACE network. There is no cost for providers to join, Interess said, adding that providers can contact William James to ask to join the network.

The referral service is confidential. The town will not know which residents use the service. Interess will receive regular reports from William James with data about the service.

Getting the word out

The service started on Nov. 15. Viscosi said some school staff members have already helped parents contact INTERFACE.

Interess and Viscosi have met with the Board of Selectmen about the service and plan to introduce it to other town boards and committees. The school system has sent an email to parents about the service, and some principals have shared information in their newsletters. Interess and Viscosi said they will continue to explore ways to let residents know about the service.

“Often during holidays and winter, we tend to see an escalation of need,” Viscosi said. “So this feels like a very good time to make sure people know about it.”

To contact the William James INTERFACE referral service, call 888-244-6843, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about INTERFACE, Lexington resources, or mental health topics, visit interface.williamjames.edu and select Lexington.